Fault detection system with redundant product teach verification

Abstract

Some embodiments for a fault detection apparatus may include one or more monitors to detect at least three operating states of a sensor, such as pass, fail, and inoperative so as to enable a manufacturing facility to differentiate between situations in which a container does not have the appropriate machine-readable label and situations wherein the sensor is actually inoperative. The fail state may be indicative of an object on a conveyor system not matching a predetermined description, identity or characteristic. The pass state may be indicative of an object on a conveyor system matching the predetermined description, identity or characteristic. The inoperative state may be indicative of a sensor output associated with a malfunction in the sensor itself. The fault detection apparatus may also include a fail-to-safe controller configured to detect these operating states.

1. A fail-to-safe fault detection system, comprising:
 a) a sensor system to monitor containers as said containers move along a production line, said containers having machine-readable indicia thereon, the sensor system being operative to:
 read said indicia and compare data encoded therein with reference data stored in the sensor system or to apply an algorithm to the encoded data, 
 determine whether the encoded data is associated with a match condition, said match condition reflecting that the encoded data is associated with predetermined properties or characteristics;
 in response to a match condition, determine a pass result; and 
 otherwise determine a fail result; 
 
 the sensor system having at least the following operating states:
 a first state in which the sensor system provides a first output associated with the pass result, 
 a second state in which the sensor system provides a second output associated with the fail result, said second state being a default operating state; and 
 a third state in which the sensor system provides a third output indicative of a failure or malfunction of at least one component of the sensor system; and 
 
 
 b) a fail-to-safe controller to detect the third output and, in response thereto, transmit an alert signal to a production line control system, said production line control system being operative to start and stop the production line and to notify a line operator that the sensor system has failed or is malfunctioning; 
 c) a product verification module to verify reference data being input in the sensor system, wherein the sensor system compares the inputted reference data to data encoded in said indicia, the sensor system requiring an authorization input signal from a user to verify that the reference data has been inputted into the sensor system correctly or has been input by an authorized user, wherein
 if the sensor system does not receive the authorization input signal, the sensor system enters or remains in the third state or the second state; and
 otherwise the sensor system is permitted to enter the first state. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the reference data verification includes displaying data associated with the reference data on a display screen, and wherein the authorization input signal is received in response to the reference data on the display screen. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the data associated with the reference data is a phrase-equivalent of the reference data. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the authorization signal includes user input of the reference data to the apparatus. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the authorization signal is triggered by a security device. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the security device includes a mechanical key. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the security device is an electronic key. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the security device includes a passcode. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the authorization signal is triggered by more than one security device. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the authorization signal is triggered by more than one security device being input to the apparatus at approximately the same time. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a default output of the fail-to-safe controller is a signal to stop the production line. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the fail-to-safe controller generates a signal to stop the production line. 
     
     
       13. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a sensor system, reference data, wherein the sensor system compares the reference data with data encoded in a machine readable indicia of a container positioned on a continuously moving conveyor in a production line to identify a match result or a no match result; 
 receiving, by a product verification module in the sensor system, an authorization signal encoding data associated with the entry of the reference data into the sensor system; 
 verifying, by the product verification module and based on the authorization signal, that the reference data has been input into the sensor system correctly or has been input by an authorized user; and 
 selectively generating, by the sensor system and based on the verification, a fault notification if the authorization signal is not verified, wherein said fault notification is not generated in the event that the authorization signal is verified. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising entering, by the sensor system and before the receiving of the reference data, a fault state, wherein a production line control system stops the production line associated with the sensor system if the sensor system remains in the fault state. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising remaining, based on the generating of the fault notification, in the fault state. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the fault state is indicative of a failure or malfunction of at least one component of the sensor system. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein, if the fault notification is not generated, the sensor system is permitted to enter a match state indicative of the match result. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising reading, by a sensor in the sensor system, the machine readable indicia of the container positioned on the continuously moving conveyor. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the sensor receives the reference data. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising comparing, by the sensor system, the data encoded in the indicia of the container with the reference data. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , further comprising identifying, by the sensor system, the match result or the no match result based on the comparing. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , further comprising entering, by the sensor system, the match state upon identification of the match result. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising, generating, in response to entering the match state, a match signal, wherein the production line control system allows the container to continue moving on the conveyor upon receiving the match signal and does not cause the container to be removed from the production line. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 21 , further comprising entering a remove container state upon identification of the no match result. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24 , further comprising generating, based on the remove container state, a remove container signal, wherein the production line control system causes the removal of the container from the continuously moving conveyor upon receiving the remove container signal and does not stop the production line.